1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of interventional radiology. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for the reconstruction of a flow path within a vascular conduit. The invention further relates to embolectomy and thrombectomy, including treatment of thrombosed hemodialysis access grafts or fistulas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Life-sustaining access to hemodialysis is one of the leading causes for hospital admission. More than 80% of the patient population undergoing hemodialysis treatments have a PTFE graft access. However, PTFE graft access only offers an average patency of 20 months after placement.
If one considers that the arterial and venous anatomy is typically sufficient to support three upper extremity grafts, a dialysis patient may expect an average 10 years of permanent access availability from upper extremities; that is, 20 months times six potential grafts. Depending on the age when the kidneys fail, between 23% and 51% of patients will live at least 10 additional years after starting dialysis. If a renal transplant does not become available, many patients will need to resort to peritoneal dialysis or a less preferable hemodialysis access such as a lower extremity graft or a hemodialysis catheter. Some patients may even die because of lack of access. Therefore, efforts to maintain each available permanent hemodialysis access have become a matter of paramount importance.
Thrombosis, or blood clot formation, is the most common cause of hemodialysis access graft failure. Graft thrombosis usually results from venous flow obstruction, or stenosis. The location of the stenosis is most commonly found at the graft-vein anastomosis. A narrowing at this area causes a slow down or obstruction of blood flow, resulting in the formation of the thrombus within the graft. Venous stenosis is present in over eighty-five percent of clotted grafts. The underlying venous anastamotic stenosis must be corrected in order to avoid recurrence of the thrombus.
There are at least three primary interventional radiology methods for percutaneous thrombolysis: Thrombolytic (rolkinase, stereptokinase, Tissue plasminogen activator (TPA, r-TPA), and other) infusion, pulse-spray pharmacomechanical thrombolysis, and pure mechanical thrombolysis.
Percutaneous thrombolysis is the least invasive treatment option for graft treatment and has rapidly become the preferred method of treatment at most institutions. It is commonly accomplished using mechanical thrombectomy devices that macerate the clot or by using a thrombolytic agent to dissolve the clot. Mechanical thrombectomy devices are expensive and often require capital investment. Thrombolytic agents provide a less expensive treatment option.
Tissue plasminogen activators, also known as TPA, are one of the most commonly used thrombolytic agents for clearing dialysis grafts. The drug is introduced into the clotted graft via an infusion catheter or a needle. TPA has a high affinity and specificity for fibrin, a major component of blood clots. It acts upon the clot by binding to the surface and dissolving it by an enzymatic reaction. The time until clot dissolution is dependent on the length and size of the clot, the amount of drug delivered and method used for drug delivery.
With the “lyse and wait” technique of thrombolysis, TPA or other thrombolytic agent, such as, urokinase or retaplase, is delivered to the graft by a small gauge needle or an infusion catheter. Manual compression is applied to the graft-artery anastomosis during drug administration to ensure targeted drug delivery is restricted to the graft and prevent inadvertent dislodgment of clot into the artery. The procedure is performed without the aid of fluoroscopic guidance. The therapeutic action of the lytic agent typically takes at least one hour depending on the effective distribution of the lytic agent. After clot dissolution, the patient typically is brought into the angiographic suite for fluoroscopic imaging of the graft to identify and visualize residual venous stenosis. Angioplasty of the stenosed segment can then be performed.
With regard to mechanical thrombolysis, several devices are known to have been used. For example, a rotating nitinol basket-like fragmentation cage (Arrow-Trerotola Percutaneous Thrombolytic Device) has been used by crossing 5-F sheaths within a graft and requires only a minute or two to restore flow. In a recent study, fifty-one consecutive patients were treated with the device. In all patients, the device was used to also treat the arterial plug in situ at the arterial anastomosis instead of using a Fogarty catheter to reposition the plug as indicated by the product labeling of the devices. Immediate technical patency was 100% with 6% arterial embolization vs. 2% control. Adjunctive therapy with a Fogarty Adherent Clot catheter was needed in two procedures (4%).
The Amplatz mechanical thrombectomy device (Clot Buster, Microvena Co.), has also been used successfully in dialysis grafts. This 8-French device consists of a gas-driven, high-speed (150,000 rpm) cam that pulverizes the clot. In a randomized series comparing surgical thrombectomy with the device, 89% success was achieved in the device group and 83% in the surgery group. Thirty-day patency was lower with the device (47%) than with surgery (77%). However, residual thrombus may occur with the device, and it cannot be used to treat the arterial plug. Recently, the device has been made available also in a 6-French version. Because the device is not guidewire compatible, a 6-French ID or 8-French ID delivery sheath or an 8-French OD or 6-French OD guiding catheter should be used.
The Hydrolyser catheter (Cordis) uses the Venturi effect to achieve mechanical thrombolysis. The catheter is driven using a conventional angiographic injector. Although testing shows this device was successful in 15/16 instances, five reclotted within 24 hours. Secondary patency was 41% at 6 months. One concern with this device, however, is the amount of blood aspirated during the procedure (50–150 mL), which could be problematic for chronically anemic patients.
The Cragg thrombolytic brush consists of a 6-French brush catheter, and combines mechanical thrombolysis with thrombolytics to shorten procedure time and reduce thrombolytic dose. It is not a purely mechanical thrombolytic approach, but it takes advantage of many principles of mechanical thrombolysis. This 6-French device consists of a nylon brush that rotates at low speed (1,800 rpm.) driven by a single-use detachable motor drive. It is not guidewire compatible. Another similar design is the Castaneda Over-the Wire Brush (MT1), which is more preferred because of its guidewire compatibility. The brush itself is modified and allows for using the system forward and backward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,484 discloses a device that uses a tubular mesh in a mesh balloon catheter device. Although this design has shown some utility, it does not offer guidewire compatibility. Thus, it may be necessary to use an additional device(s) to steer toward a desired place within a vessel.
Among simpler devices, the Fogarty Arterial Embolectomy Catheter (Baxter Scientific Products, McGaw Park, Ill.) has shown some utility in removing arterial clots. Although the original Fogarty catheters were not guidewire compatible, guidewire compatible Fogarty balloons (Baxter) have recently been made available. Other over-the-wire alternatives include occlusion balloons and PTA balloons to macerate the clots. The basic technique for recanalization of hemodialysis access grafts using these devices often consists of a crossover catheterization requiring, unfortunately, multiple equipment. Specifically, two introducer sheaths and two balloon catheters are used. For dislodgment of an arterial plug or intragraft stenosis, the Fogarty Adherent Clot Catheter (Baxter) has been successfully used in some cases. Another similar alternative is the Fogarty Graft Thrombectomy Catheter (Baxter), which was designed to remove tough, mature thrombus from synthetic grafts. Except for the over-the-wire Fogarty balloon, the other designs have no guidewire compatibility.
Despite many advantages, traditional mechanical thrombolytic devices often exhibit significant drawbacks. Some devices are large (8-French or more) and perform poorly in curved vessels, limiting their use in hemodialysis access. Residual adherent clot is a considerable problem with some mechanical devices. Many devices do not remove the macerated clot and it may be embolized into the lungs. A great number of the available devices cannot be used over-the-wire.
Another method was recently described in which access is achieved toward the venous and arterial anastomosis and an occlusion balloon catheter is inflated at the arterial anastomosis site. While the balloon is inflated, a large quantity (approximately 40–60 cc) of saline is injected into the graft through the sheath, “washing” the residual clot away. The presence of the balloon is “protecting” the artery from embolization of clot into it, a major and infrequent complication. The occlusion balloon is then inflated in the arterial anastomosis site or adjacent to it. Again, infusion of saline or contrast material or thrombolytic drugs can be injected. The technique is working very well, however, the whole length of the graft cannot be cleared or visualized.
With the foregoing apparatuses in mind, a preferred current technique for comprehensive shunt cleansing begins with inserting a needle through the skin and into the shunt. A small wire is then inserted through the needle and the tactile sensation transmitted by the wire is used in determining whether the wire is in the shunt. The skin site is then inspected with X-ray to determine the position of the wire and whether it is within the shunt, the needle is removed when the wire is determined to be in the shunt interior, a small catheter is placed over wire with the discharge orifice within the shunt and the wire is removed leaving the catheter with its discharge end within the shunt.
The larger wire is then inserted through the catheter into the shunt interior and the catheter is removed. The next step involves inserting a sheath over the larger wire and into the shunt. A balloon catheter is then advanced into the venous anastomosis and the balloon is inflated to crush the venous anastomosis and open the shunt-vein juncture. Thereafter, the balloon and wire are removed, a second sheath is inserted between the position of the first sheath insertion and shunt-vein juncture, into a clean shunt region, and the clot is macerated and eradicated either mechanically or pharmacologically.
A balloon is then pushed into position within arterial anastomosis at the artery-shunt juncture and the balloon is inflated and pulled back, eradicating the arterial plug and removing the platelet plug and residual arterial anastomosis from the shunt-artery juncture by pulling on the balloon.
Unfortunately, injection of a contrast material into the graft cannot be safely performed before flow in the graft is reestablished. In some cases, flow cannot be established and the operator cannot tell what is the cause for the lack of success. After flow is reestablished, the operator may eradicate additional visualized stenosis. The final step is that of removing the balloon, wire and the sheath.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the prior art techniques relating to the treatment of a thrombosed hemodialysis access graft or fistula exhibit various shortcomings. In particular, current techniques offer no mechanism for the application of thrombolytic solutions and contrast solutions within the occluded graft due to concerns relating to the migration of clots into the arterial system. As such, thrombolysis and imaging of the graft must be achieved utilizing additional steps and procedures. This is undesirable. The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an effective and reliable method and apparatus for the reconstruction of a flow path within a vascular conduit. It also provides a way to safely inject contrast material and thrombolytic drugs into an occluded graft prior to restoration of flow.